UN Approves Uzbekistan-Initiated Special Resolution On Central And South Asia

KUALA LUMPUR, July 13 (Bernama) -- The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Monday unanimously approved a special resolution on enhancing interconnectivity between Central and South Asia, initiated by Uzbekistan in co-authorship with 40 countries, including Malaysia. The co-authors of the document include Azerbaijan, Armenia, Angola, Vietnam, Vanuatu, Ghana, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Ivory Coast, Qatar, Egypt, Iran, Nepal, Malaysia, Mongolia, Morocco, Pakistan, Russia, Senegal, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Sri Lanka, Philippines, and others. In a statement made available to Bernama today, Uzbekistan's embassy in Malaysia said that President Shavkat Mirziyoyev put forward the initiative at the high-level Tashkent conference “Central and South Asia: regional interconnectivity. Challenges and Opportunities" in July 2021. Among others, the resolution recognises the importance of cooperation in establishing safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport networks with a view to achieving transport connectivity across Central and South Asia. It encourages the continuation and advancement of cooperation between Central and South Asia by expanding transport and information and communications technology infrastructure and creating new international transport corridors. It also recognises the importance of Afghanistan's potential role in connecting Central and South Asia, as well as its economic development and integration into inter-regional economic processes for lasting peace and stability. The resolution emphasises the importance of developing potential tourist routes covering the historical and cultural centres of the Central and South Asian states, and supports the efforts of Central and South Asia to further strengthen relationships between the regions and their people, including in the fields of education, science and technology, innovation, tourism, culture, art and sports. It also recognises the importance of energy connectivity between Central and South Asia. -- BERNAMA